The Blues are on the verge of landing their man, with Thomas Tuchel keen to add a classic targetman to his Champions League-winning squad
Chelsea have agreed a deal in principle for Romelu Lukaku, with the Inter man's £98 million ($135m) return to Stamford Bridge set to be officially announced early next week, Goal has learned.

The Blues have pursued the Belgian attacker across the summer amid the Serie A champions' need to offload players amid rising debts.

Now, Thomas Tuchel's side look to have secured their target, with the forward poised to return to the Champions League holders a decade on from his first arrival in west London.

What is the deal for Lukaku?
Lukau's move to Chelsea - in a switch that will make him the seventh-most expensive transfer of all-time - will see him become the latest face to depart San Siro in the wake of title-winning coach Antonio Conte and Achraf Hakimi.

A small proportion of the fee will be tied up in add-ons, with final details to be formalised across the weekend, as Conte's successor Simone Inzaghi continues to complete his preparations for the Nerazzurri's Scudetto defence.

The former Anderlecht graduate will become the first major outfield signing of Chelsea's summer, following goalkeeper Marcus Bettinelli's arrival on a free transfer from neighbours Fulham.

Lukaku's career so far

Having started in his home country with Anderlecht, Lukaku first moved to England when he was snapped up by Chelsea in 2011.

He failed to leave an impression during his first spell with the club, however, making just eight top-fight appearances before he was loaned out the following season to West Brom.

A second loan stint away from the club followed in 2013-14 at Everton, where he found much greater success, facilitating a full-time switch to Goodison Park at the end of that campaign.

Having established himself as a Belgium international, Lukaku continued to rise through the ranks with an impressive three-year spell on Merseyside, before a record-breaking switch to Manchester United took him back to the upper echelons of the Premier League.

Yet even as his country prospects flourished, he often found himself made something of a scapegoat at Old Trafford under Jose Mourinho - and in 2019, after just two years, he was allowed to leave by successor Ole Gunnar Solskjaer, to join Inter.

In Milan, Lukaku rediscovered his finest form and translated it into success on the pitch, first helping the Nerazzurri re-establish their credentials in 2019-20, before helping to drive them to an impressive Serie A triumph last term.

Now, his career path looks to have come full circle, and brings him back to where he began his continental adventure - and directly into the heart of a Blues side determined to prove their unlikely Champions League triumph last term was no fluke.

https://www.goal.com/en-us/news/chelsea-agree-98m-lukaku-deal-in-principle-as-transfer-edges/l1u7lwnlc0o91oujau2p07eh1

I hate this lukaku but if it will make us win EPL no p

heniford2:
I hate this lukaku but if it will make us win EPL no p

The guy may not be your dream attacker but the guy is good. Better than all your strikers combine

heniford2:
I hate this lukaku but if it will make us win EPL no p

I swear. I never fancied him. No skill, lack football control. Let hope he will deliver.

Finally.
Na we dey sign real players

boxypane:
Finally.
Na we dey sign real players

You can't name top 6 target man in the world right now without mentioning lukaku

There is a deadly front combo underway

Broveens42:



You can't name top 6 target man in the world right now without mentioning Lukaku

There is a deadly front combo underway

Exactly, my point.........The only top striker that can give Lukaku a run in EPL is Harry Kane.

welcome back to EPL bro....come show man.u wat you learned in Italy..
I see him hit d ground running BT I still tink dt getting haaland with such cash is better than this lukaku deal

heniford2:
I hate this lukaku but if it will make us win EPL no p

u don't know the renewed lukaku, maybe you knew him back then in man.u
lukaku now is more deadly attacker than before in Chelsea n he can comfortably walk into any team in Europe top 5 leagues..

paulolee:

u don't know the renewed lukaku, maybe you knew him back then in man.u
lukaku now is more deadly attacker than before in Chelsea n he can comfortably walk into any team in Europe top 5 leagues..

Your last line is what he doesn't know yet

IbnBattuta1960:

I swear. I never fancied him. No skill, lack football control. Let hope he will deliver.

Lolz...lukaku lacked ball control? Jus say u dnt like him..
Since drogba n Costa left Chelsea, no striker cane close to the numbers lukaku did in Italy..
U don't like lukaku dt would guarantee u goals BT u are Owkay with werna DT was a proven flop last season abi..

IbnBattuta1960:

I swear. I never fancied him. No skill, lack football control. Let hope he will deliver.

Obviously, you're still seeing him from years ago. Lukaku has long improved pass that

paulolee:
welcome back to EPL bro....come show man.u wat you learned in Italy..
I see him hit d ground running BT I still tink dt getting haaland with such cash is better than this lukaku deal

Lukaku will most def hit the ground running. He is back to prove a point.

For me Lukaku offers an established pattern of play that suits both the EPL & the system Chelsea plays. So it's less of a gamble. Haaland on the other hand offers youth but is still largely unproven for the amount Dortmund is demanding and that's a big gamble.

Recall Dembele to Barcelona and how it turned out.

2kurupt:

Lukaku will most def hit the ground running. He is back to prove a point.

For me Lukaku offers an established pattern of play that suits both the EPL & the system Chelsea plays. So it's less of a gamble. Haaland on the other hand offers youth but is still largely unproven for the amount Dortmund is demanding and that's a big gamble.

Recall Dembele to Barcelona and how it turned out.

no lies bro...but haaland gat enough years to spend at d top, injury won't b a problem bcoz he would recover fast and also lukaku is. proven hit with Everton In EPL and its a nice deal

2kurupt:

Obviously, you're still seeing him from years ago. Lukaku has long improved pass that

Yeah. That's y I said "facied".
Right now I'm "fingers crossed".
I fear we'll meet teams that "park the bus" and his muscle and pace wont be of any good.
But anywhich way, up blues!

paulolee:

Lolz...lukaku lacked ball control? Jus say u dnt like him..
Since drogba n Costa left Chelsea, no striker cane close to the numbers lukaku did in Italy..
U don't like lukaku dt would guarantee u goals BT u are Owkay with werna DT was a proven flop last season abi..

Werna na "Christmas cloth" turned pyjamas
But even at that, he (werna) has no rival when it comes to that wing contributions.
Praying that RL gels in CFC.